Intimacy

Rosamund placed the platter on his coffee table and sat down on the couch, nervously playing with a lock of his hair. He left the balcony door open for her and was waiting. Patiently. Impatiently. A little bit of both. Oh gods, he was an anxious wreck. It was his first date in decades! He really wanted it to go well. He hoped she didn't mind him. She probably didn't...

...♥

She was in love with him ~♥

Gods, he was a mess.

The curtains shifted. Adanita came inside, carrying a satchel on her shoulder and hiding one arm behind her back as she locked the balcony door. Rosamund went up to her, expecting a hug and a kiss, but she stopped him with her free hand.

"I got something for you. I hope you like it," she said. She awkwardly handed him a large bouquet of wildflowers. "I wanted to bring you something, but I didn't really know... I got you jewellery before, I mean. And then I felt bad about picking flowers from your own garden, so-"
"You're beautiful," Rosamund said.
"Oh?" Careful not to damage the flowers, she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him up for a kiss. "I know~"
"I think I should let you know on a constant basis. Perhaps hourly?"
"I thought you were an extremely busy man."
"I'd make time for yo-mm..." She leaned down to bury her face in his hair, her breath gently tickling him on the neck. He tightly hugged her back as his heart was beating in his ears. She thought about him. She missed him. She got flowers for him. He was so, so happy it was completely overwhelming him. She loved him...

"You let your hair down," she whispered. She gave him a gentle kiss on the neck, making him wince.
"I- I thought you might like t-to braid it again..."
"I would. I like you like this..."
"I like you too. C-can I have the flowers?"
"Oh, aye. Of course."
She let him go and gave him the bouquet. The flowers included various types of plants one would find along the road between Hipparcos and his manor. The large white poppies with black stamens particularly stood out, and to his delight, the flowers were all left with decently long stems. Uneven in length, but that didn't matter. He was absolutely delighted! She gave him a bouquet! One she made all on her own, because she liked him and cared about him.

"I assume you're also a little nervous?" he asked.
"You too?"
"Well... to be honest, yes. It's been quite a long time since I've been in a relationship and it's certainly a new experience. I feel very overwhelmed and I thought about you all the time even before we decided to try this, so now it feels a bit out of control. I'm in love. It's exciting and beautiful, but it does make me anxious. I know mistakes are a part of life, but I am out of my mind whenever a thought comes you might leave because of something I did."
"I feel the same," she said, gently tucking his hair behind his ear. "I want you to know I really like you and I'm not sure how to do that... I mean, I know of one good way. Or maybe ten," she said as he let out a quiet chuckle. She was smiling so brightly he felt blinded. "I'll be honest too. I usually start a relationship by bringing the partner to bed. I don't mind this at all, of course, but it's new to me too. And I must admit, it is a bit scary to me."
"We rushed into this a little," he agreed. "But I think it made both of us happy?"
"Very."
"Good. And it's not me you fear, right?"
"No. I just don't want to hurt you."
"Then we're fine, I think. I- I understand I am a very strange man-"
"Very insane, very strange," she agreed.
He let out another laugh. She loved it when he laughed, it seemed. He will make sure to smile for her all the time. "A-anyway. I don't want either of us to feel uncomfortable in each other's company. I want us to be at peace when we're together, so that we can fully and confidently enjoy our time. That's why I asked for some time."
"I think I like that. I feel cared for."
"Oh! Perfect. I do care and I want you to know it. Come here..."

Still holding on his bouquet, he took her hand and led her to the couch. He sat her down and uncovered the platter. He made crepes for her, some filled with chocolate and cinnamon, some with berries and jam, some with ground nuts and caramel, and some with apples cut into slices and fried in the dough, with honey on top.

"I made these for you after I finished work," he said after explaining which crepe was which. "I know three of each is a bit much for two people, but I didn't know which ones you'd like the best. And, well, the night is young..."
"Rosamund," she interrupted his ramblings. "Thank you."
Oh. He left her speechless. He couldn't help but beam up proudly. He took a seat next to her and served her a chocolate pancake. Least healthy food always tastes the best. These were genuinely his favourites. There was no need to bother with etiquette, they both just placed their plates on their laps and ate with their fingers.

She sniffled.

"Adanita? Is everything alright?"
"These are so good!! I love them. How are you such a good cook, it's beyond me. A-and you made them f-for me..."
He snuggled up to her, placing his head on her shoulder, silently waiting for her to calm down.
"S-sorry. I just got overwhelmed for a moment. These are delicious and you are amazing. You can really taste the love whenever you cook. I'm fine now."
"Well, I am glad you like them so much. I plan to cook for you whenever I have the time," he promised. "I ordered Bluebell to separate a part of the garden for growing vegetables, so I can have the freshest ingredients for you. Spices too."
"That sounds delightful. I don't know what to say."
"A few compliments. I'll be more than happy to accept them~"
"You are amazing. Please cook for me at all times."
"Whenever you'd like," he promised. "And whatever you like."
"Did you cook with that sauce you got from Mislav?"
"Oh, that? No, you'd know if I did. It is extremely salty. However, I can now do some new dishes that absolutely require it. Have you ever had chicken in orange sauce?"
"No, but it sounds amazing. Please make it for me."
"Happily."

She leaned in to give him a small kiss. Her lips tasted like chocolate! "You are extremely sweet," he let her know.
"More of your wordplay?"
"It is an acquired taste."
"As are you."
"Hm." He didn't have an answer.

And that was fine ♥

Two pancakes were enough for him. Adanita decided to try a bit of everything and he let her eat in peace, pouring a cup of tea for them. He washed his hands and started to pick out flowers from the bouquet with the longest stamens. He put the others into a small vase and returned to the couch, preparing to weave a flower crown.

"Is there anything you can't do?" she asked him.
"Mathematics, apparently," he lightheartedly said.
"Hm. Not the perfect man I thought you are."
"Alas. You must always adjust standards to the situation."

She cleaned up with a small smile and sipped from her cup. She leaned back comfortably and placed her arm on the back of the couch, and he absolutely used the opportunity to lie down with his head on her lap. She was gently stroking his hair while he was busy with the flowers.

"I've been meaning to ask you some questions about you," she said.
"I'd like to know more about you, too," he admitted.
"Oh? What would you like to know?"
"How about we each ask one question and let the other one ask the next?"
"Aye, that sounds fair."
"Would you like to start?"
"Where'd you learn to make flower crowns?" she asked.
"Ah. When we were children, our mother would often lead us on picnics and camping trips. Never too far from the manor, but Lilac was always excited to spend a night in a tent. She taught me how to make them, both to keep Lilac entertained and to give me something to do with my hands. I wasn't in a good state back then, and it was a nice distraction to watch him run around and pick flowers from a meadow."
"That sounds very sweet..."
"How was your day?" he asked.
"It was fine. I went to Hipparcos, worked for a bit. I picked flowers for you on the way back," she said. "Oh, and I spoke with Nivelir. He is... an incredible prick."
"Was he rude?"
"Aye."
"Do I need to speak with him?"
"No. It's alright. I think you were right, it's not that he's still in love. I mean, aye, he cares about you deeply. He's just... let's say disappointed with your current choices. He's a nobleman to the bone. And I think those were three questions, so you owe me two now. Are you disappointed, too?"
"No," he easily said. "I am happy."
"Good."
"You... hm. I don't want to say 'must', but I think you understand I don't plan to force you to befriend the man. You must excuse his behavior, he spent his whole life among Bretonian nobility. If he wasn't constantly in my company, or if Rosamund Alsop en la Dale wasn't me, I think he'd be significantly worse. You've seen the others."
"Aye. He only insulted me once, which is decent for a nobleman."
"And you don't need to take it," he assured her, gently pressing the back of his hand against her cheek. "I just ask for some understanding. I think he's getting better. I can't imagine him going along with our plans when we were in our twenties, for example. Growth is a long process and despite his faults, he is a dear friend of mine. I care about you both. It would mean a lot to me if you two were to get along. Not necessarily as friends. Just stay on good terms. Whenever you feel he crossed a line, let me know. I will speak with him."
"I don't mean to break up a friendship..."
"And you won't. I just want him to behave properly and politely towards a person I love."
"Alright," she said. She took his hand and gently kissed it. She put it back against her cheek and closed her eyes. He couldn't really make a proper crown with just one hand, but at least she only took his right. Besides, he didn't mind. "Teo wasn't rude either, I hope."
"I never got an impression he particularly liked me, aside from my good looks," he joked. "But yes, this was fine."

She let him go and he returned to his weaving. She watched him in silence for a few moments before speaking up again.

"This next question... you don't need to answer it, but it's been bothering me. You said you drowned," she frankly said. "What are you doing on ships? How are you on ships? I couldn't even look at ropes for a week after I woke up..."
He gently interrupted her before her mind would trail off into darker thoughts. "Lilac, again," he said. "My family has a small summer home on the southern coast. I couldn't look at the sea at all while I was a child, let alone touch water. I was so terrified... my parents understood, so we didn't travel there until after Lily was old enough. He could swim. He was more than happy to play around in the water. And he kept insisting I should come, too. It's stupid, but his insistence broke me. I wanted to spend time and play with my brother. I went to the beach for the first time when I was eleven. I entered the sea when I was twelve. It's not that I enjoy ships... quite the opposite, to be honest. The first time I stepped on one was when we sailed here from Bretonia. The second time was... Khamil."
"Am I upsetting you with this?"
"No, of course not. You are curious, you deserve to know. I think being on a ship was what made my nightmares considerably worse back after you rescued me. But last night, in your cabin, I was perfectly fine. When I am stable, I can do whatever I'd like. When I crash, I think I'll prefer to stay on land."
"I was taken by the moment last night. It bothered me all day if I had made you uncomfortable," she admitted.
"You didn't, not at all. I'd have said something otherwise. I know you'd have listened, too, because you are sweet and considerate. Did I mention I love you?"
"I seem to recall something along those lines, aye."
"Perfect."

He sat up to place the flowers on her head. The colorful crown suited her well. He leaned in to kiss her on the cheek and she used the opportunity to hold him by the waist and seat him on her lap. Not that he minded! Quite the opposite! He closed his eyes and leaned on her, perfectly content.

"Should we move to bed?" he asked.
"Mmm... scandalous. That would mean I must get up and change. I did consider coming here in my sleepwear, by the by, but I figured it'd be less embarrassing if I could say I was on a walk if anyone spotted me."
"Oooh. I should buy you a nice dress."
"I can imagine a tailor's reaction. Lord Governor is looking for women's nightgowns."
"Don't worry, it wouldn't be expensive. I wouldn't ask them to use too much fabric."
"You have the mind of a dirty old man."
"Hardly my fault, love." He could feel her smile against his cheek.

"I'd like to talk more, if that's alright. This is very comfortable. I don't know what I expected, if anything... but this is really nice," she said.
"I only asked you mundane questions," he agreed. "I wanted to hear about how you spent your time. But I'd also like to know more about you."
"Hmm... ask away, I suppose. I must admit, I am a bit worried that your opinion of me will change for the worse, though. But I'll answer."
"You don't need to if you don't want to," he promised. "I just want to know more about your family. Your childhood. Growing up. You before you were the Queen. You can tell me whatever you'd like to, I will hear you out."
"Aha. Alright. I'm not as talkative or expressive as you, but I will try my best."
"If you don't want to-"
"No, you're right. I- I want you to know more about me, too. I want this to be fair."
"Alright. Take your time, love."

She took a deep breath.

"I was born somewhere in Bretonia. I don't remember much about my parents but it was bad enough I stowed myself away on a merchant ship... I must've been some eight years old, maybe younger. They were sailing for Hannau. Pirates stole their cargo and they were selling it back. The merchants found me and decided to just leave me in the city. I don't blame 'em, who's gonna care for a kid on a ship, aye? An' I just wanted t' get away... well, Captain Goldenbraid minded. Heard of him?"
Just one of the most notorious names, right up there with the previous King and Queen. And Adanita. He nodded.
"He was angry. It took me a while to realize he wasn't angry at me with how much he was shouting. He thought they were off to sell me. I don't remember, maybe they were... Anyway. He chased them away without giving them their cargo back. And he kept me... oh."
"Hm?"
"It just occurred to me... I might have been a part of the offer for the cargo. Maybe that was why he was so furious. It's funny how we don't connect some things until later..."
He carefully hugged her, letting her hide her face in his shoulder. She was fine. She wasn't crying. Meanwhile Rosamund's hands, tangled in her hair, were shaking. Someone needed to die for this. Somebody will, if he ever finds them.

"I'm fine, love. Nothing happened," she reassured him. "I'm just not much of a storyteller..."
"Say the word," he quietly said. "And I will hang them."
She tightly hugged him back, not saying a thing for a good long while as he was slowly calming down.

"I upset you," she quietly said. "I'm sorry."
"None of what you said was your fault. You have nothing- nothing to apologize for. I'm the one who's sorry. I didn't mean to have you relive that."
"It's fine. It's been decades and I am fine now," she promised. "Nothing happened to me. Goldenbraid took me in and kept me safe. He's like a father to me. When I was old enough, I was taken along on raids to clean the ship's decks. He taught me how to wield daggers and swords. He gave me his coat, too. He insisted I have a good head on my shoulders and taught me how to read, write, and do mathematics. After working for him, I became a navigator on another ship, and then a Captain. And now I am here. I'm fine."

She said so much, yet so little. So much was left hidden and he didn't dare to ask. Rosamund refused to let her go. She gently started to run her fingers through his hair to calm him down.

Her voice was calm and quiet, she clearly got used to her life and her memories. But he couldn't just accept it. She didn't deserve any of that! She deserved only the best things, she deserved to be happy and loved. He couldn't help it. He was shivering.

"Rosamund... did you notice many scars on me?" she asked.
"Huh? You mean, from injuries?"
"Mhm."
"No."
"Aye. An' I still have my fingers and my eyes, my ears, my nose, both arms an' legs. Not a courtesy lots of pirates have, you may've noticed. Or any people involved in fighting."
"That is true." He quietly wiped his eyes with the back of his hand.
"You know what it means?"
"No, I don't."
"That Goldenbraid wouldn't let me fight until I was ready. And he made damn sure I was ready. He was careful while teaching me, he protected me when I was weak. And now I'm the best there is. Things didn't start off good, an' I'm tryin' my best t' make Hannau a better place for th' kids. But, y'know, with all things considered... I had a rough start, but I got much better, didn't I?"
"You did. I'm sorry. I was overwhelmed."
"It's fine. I think I'd like you to meet him one day."
"Oh? I didn't know he was still alive."
"Aye, pirates aren't known for retiring. He lives in a small hut on a cliff near Hannau. He has two mermaid daughters who take care of him, and I visit whenever I can."
"So you have sisters?"
"I never thought of it that way... no. I was around Ekliptik's age when they were born. I left for work before they were even five years, so we never really got too close."

That loneliness again. It was crushing his heart to see her speak of it so nonchalantly...

"Are you feeling better now?" she gently asked.
"Hah. I should be the one asking that."
"I'm in your arms. How can I feel bad?"

The pain was killing him. He was crumbling to dust. He wanted to cry for her, but what good would that do? She didn't care about those things anymore.

"Adanita..."
"Hmm?"
"I need you to understand. No matter when and how we part our ways, no matter if we later find another lover or marry. You are always welcome in my house. Please, whenever you need help, come and find me. I promise you can always count on me, no matter what."
She didn't say a thing.
"A-and I'm sure your sisters love you," he said. "I'd love to meet your family one day, too. I've never met any mermaids, you know? And your father must be so proud of how far you've come..."
She pulled him in closer, tightly holding onto him.
"And you should be proud you have no injuries, that means you are truly the best there is. And that none of your men would ever shoot you in the back. They love you, too. Just like Teodolit and Ekliptik. They respect you and care about you."
"Thank you," she weakly said.
"You are not alone."
"I know."
"I'll keep you safe."
"I- I know."
"And I love you."
"Oh, good. I thought you might. Happy to see I was right."

He let her go to have a look at her beautiful face. She was gently smiling at him and he kissed her cheek. She wasn't crying. She was so strong.

"I'm sorry for upsetting you, though."
"I wasn't upset," he said. "I want to know more about you. Please tell me whatever you'd like, whenever you'd like. I'll lend you an ear."
"But I don't want you to be sad..."
"I'll cry for you whenever I feel like it and there is nothing you can do about that. So, there."
"You are such a sweet man. You do know my story is hardly something unusual, right?"
"I do. I- I will make it better," he promised. "At least the land I have. I will make it better for everyone."
"You already are," she said. "You are always working so hard. It feels almost desperate, in a way. Maybe I should cry for your sake, too."
"Hm. Romantic, but if we're both crying, we'll be too busy to kiss," he joked.
"I can remedy that..."

Tightly holding on his waist with one arm, she used her free hand to take his robe off his shoulders. She started unbuttoning his shirt, pulling him close to kiss his neck and his shoulders. She was holding him, not letting him get away from her. As if he wanted to. He was moaning from pure delight. She gently kissed his lips to quiet him down a little and he used the opportunity to kiss her back.

"I still wanted to learn more about you," she mused, gently biting him on the neck. He tightened his grip on her shoulders, shivering.
"I- I'm afraid if w-we continue, I will get l-less coherent..."
"Hmm... if you can still talk like that, I'd say we didn't go far enough."

Oh no. He couldn't argue with that at all. Especially not now that his shirt was fully unbuttoned. She was gently caressing him all over his body, making him feel as if he was on fire. He tightly held her as she traced his spine with her fingers, giving him the chills.

"I like the way you react to me," she whispered into his ear. "I wonder what else I could do for you... you cook for me, you made me a flower crown, you play music for me, although it seems I won't be hearing any violin tonight." She nibbled on his ear and he let out a gasp. She pressed her cheek against his, giggling. "Music to my ears. Tell me, what would you like me to do?"
Rosamund closed his eyes and leaned on her, trying to calm his poor heart. "Well, I liked you brought flowers to me. I'd like more, I think. Just some little gifts and gestures, to show me you were thinking about me during the day. I liked you braiding my hair and playing around with me."
"Jewellery? Would you like that?"
"It doesn't need to be extravagant, and I worry you'd bring me too much to wear at all times. I like books, though. Just good literature, not something educational, I mean."
"I'm sure I can find something for you. And I could take you on a sail, if you'd like. Just the two of us on a small boat. I'll catch some fish for you. And we can dance or go on walks whenever you'd like."
"That sounds delightful. And whether here, your guest room, or your ship, I'd like us to spend the nights together. I hope I'm not asking for too much, but it's for practical reasons, too. I've never slept better than last night. I want you close to me."
"Do I need a reason other than you being happy?"
"I think I'm falling in love."
"Only now?"
"Just being in your presence puts me at ease. Please stay close to me forever."

She carefully picked him up and carried him to the bed. He stayed there, sitting in awe as she returned to the couch and started undressing with her back turned to him.

He was falling in love all over again.

She put on a simple clean shirt and shorts she brought with her. The last item that left her satchel was a pinecone plushie he gifted her. She went to bed and placed her head comfortably on his chest, hugging both him and the toy.

"I love you," he said.
"Good. That's one thing we have in common," she joked. He tangled his fingers in her hair. He loved her so much...

"How did you spend your day?" she asked.
"Oh, the usual. That little prick Partes Proporcionales is detained in one of the guest rooms under constant supervision. He tried to escape thrice already. I'm impressed."
"Are you going to talk to him?"
"Soon. Tomorrow, maybe. Scammers of this degree are pure scum, so I can't say I'm looking forward to it."
She started playing with his chest hair again. "I'm sure you'll do well. Why is your mother covered in scars?" she asked next.
"Ah. It was a horrible hunting accident, I think she was around seventeen years of age. She is the type that loves to go outdoors, camping and the like. She went out with a hunting party in the middle of the winter and got separated from the rest. She was found by a pack of hungry wolves and she didn't manage to escape. By the time the others caught up, one of her arms was already torn off and she was covered in bites and claws... She lost the other arm when it caught an infection."
"That's horrible! She's lucky she survived." She thoughtfully paused for a few moments. "I thought your father did it when I first saw them. But then I thought... there's no way you'd love a man as cruel as that."
"He is a frightening man," he agreed. "When I first saw him, I thought my mother was abused, too. Those red eyes of his really do it, and you don't even see his crown. It's made out of black steel and rubies as red as blood. With that glow of magic from his tattoos and my mother's arms, I thought I was born as a son of a tyrant king," he joked. She let out a quiet laugh and snuggled closer to him, placing her leg over his. He was trapped!

Perfect ♥

"What are your sisters' names?" he asked.
"Older one is Miroslava, younger is Una. Mira should be seventeen later this year... I should bring her a present. Oh, and, I'm friends with several mermaids. Maybe we'll meet some if we go for a sail. I can introduce you, if you'd like."
"Is that why you swim so well?" he joked.
"Hah. I needed to keep up."
"Well, I am grateful you did. I'll be happy to meet your friends."

She was silent for a few moments. "Are we still keeping count? I think we're on some twelve or so questions each, but I stopped paying attention a while ago..."
He let out a laugh and quickly toned himself down. She wasn't here, he couldn't really kick up a fuss. "You are delightful. I'll give you one more question, and then I'll kiss you all I want in return."
"Oh?" It took her no effort at all to sit up and grab his wrists. "Are you sure I'd let you?"
"Damn. There goes my authority."

It was her turn to quietly laugh, muffling the sound by burying her face in his chest. Her breath tickled!

Delightful ♥

"Alright, then. How about you tell me your name?" she asked.
"Nicholas Beausejour," he said without hesitation.
"Gods. You can't have a name that isn't a mouthful."
He snickered. "But... I'd prefer you didn't use it. That's not someone I want to be. Not anymore." Never again.

"Sure. Whichever you prefer. Name doesn't matter. Rosamund, Nicholas. You are mine."


♥